How do I add missing family members to Family Tree from record hints?

Article Id: 1715
August 08, 2023

Historical records often identify family members who are not yet in Family Tree. Use the source linker to add these individuals without having to retype all of their information. The historical record then serves as your source.

Steps (website)

  1. In the source linker, make sure the people on the record hint (on the left) are correctly lined up with the people from Family Tree. If the Family Tree side does not already contain the person, you see an option to add a person.
  2. Click + Add.  Family Tree uses the information from the historical record to see if Family Tree already contains information about that person.
  3. If Family Tree does not find a match, it displays a data entry screen. The information available on the historical record has been added automatically to the data entry screen.
    1. Make any needed additions or corrections.
    2. Click Create New Person.
  4. If Family Tree found matches, it displays them on the screen.
    1. Compare the details. Click Show More to see more.
    2. If it is the same person, click Select. The person from Family Tree automatically appears on the right.
  5. If the record contains details that are missing from Family Tree, click +Add to transfer them over.
  6. Enter a reason statement. An example is, “Provides evidence of birth and death information.”
  7. Click Attach.

The historical record is now attached as a source to that person and provides evidence that the information in Family Tree is accurate.
You can repeat these steps for every person on the historical record you want to add to Family Tree.

Steps (mobile app)

In the Family Tree mobile app, the system first has you review and attach to the person to whom the hint applied. Then, you see a list of other people on the record. Tap Review Others. When the other names are already in the tree record, review and attach.

If the system does not find the person, use these steps:

  1. Tap the box that says Add New Person or Find a Match.
  2. Review the list of possible matches.
    1. If you see a match, tap in the circle to the right of the name and continue to review and attach.
    2. If you do not see a match, tap No Match.
    3. The system searches again for a match. If you see a match, tap Select. Review and attach.
    4. Otherwise, tap No Match. The system creates a Family Tree profile to which you can attach the source.

How do I attach record hints in Family Tree?
In the source linker, how do I change the focus person to attach sources to other people in Family Tree?
What do I do with record hints in Family Tree that aren't a match?

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